Rebecca is a Washington, D.C.-based registered dietitian in private practice. Members of Congress, corporate executives, and professional and recreational athletes seek her expertise to help them reach their wellness and performance goals. She received a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, has been recognized by the American Dietetic Association as “Young Dietitian of the Year,” and is an ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist.

“Not only does Rebecca bring with her an impressive background, but her positive perspective on nutrition and healthy living is approachable and her voice one that our readers can trust,” says senior editor Brandi Koskie. “We couldn’t be happier to have Rebecca join our team and know our readers will come to see great things from her.”

As dietitian for DietsInReview.com, Rebecca will break down the basics of nutrition, debunk diet myths and clarify marketing noise. Best of all, Rebecca will remove those barriers that often keep people from changing their health for the better. Watch for her articles in the Diet Blog, as well as exclusive videos with recipes and nutrition education.

See Rebecca’s guest series from her company Nurture Principles.

See Rebecca’s Banana Split Smoothie recipe video – a taste of more delicious ideas to come!

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield Joins DietsInReview.com

Today’s guest blog post comes from Bernie Salazar. Together with Rebecca Scritchfield, a weight management expert, he co-created.

I never realized exactly how much of an impact my relationships had on my overall health. Have you? Often times we forget to communicate to the people in our lives that we are taking the time to nurture ourselves and truly focus on getting healthy.

With the “old Bernie,” food was king! Almost all of my family functions revolved around food. Dates with my better half always included a restaurant, outings with friends consisted of drinks and appetizers, meetings with co-workers didn’t officially begin until the desserts were present, and my dog’s chubby figure was a direct result of me sharing my in between meal snacks with my “best friend.”

The relationships we maintain are a critical part of our transformation and often are the ones that are most often overlooked. The fact of the matter is our relationships must change if we are to be successful, not just in the immediate but long term.

So how do we communicate to our loved ones that we are taking the time to nurture ourselves and get healthy? The approach I found to work best is:

1.    Write a few words to describe each of the relationships in your life.
2.    Assess whether the relationship is a healthy one and if you think adjustments are needed to help you reach your goals. (Prepare yourself for the realization that some relationships may need to end.)
3.    Identify and record how each relationship you have is going to nurture the new you.
4.    Communicate your findings with your loved ones, share how your new relationship will positively impact your new life.
5.    Finally, discuss with them if the terms of this new relationship works for them and ask how you can in turn be supportive of their needs and wants.

By introducing the “new you” to friends and family you have increased your accountability to follow through and make the changes you have said you will make. You will soon realize that the new relationships you have with your family, friends, and even pets will all serve to support and nurture your dreams of being a better, healthier you!

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

5 Ways to Adjust Personal Relationships During a Lifestyle Change

This guest blog comes from Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RD, ACSM HFS, a Washington, D.C. based dietitian and weight management expert. Together with Bernie Salazar, at-home winner of The Biggest Loser, she co-created “The Nurture Principles” – Five mantras to help people change their lives and find wellness within.

It’s no secret. We are all stressed out, whether it’s lack of personal time, work pressures, or life issues like the economy. There is no shortage of things to wig us out these days. While a little stress can be a good thing, too much can put your life out of balance. Work seems unmanageable, you can’t remember the last time you cooked a meal for your family, and your dumbbells are better utilized as paperweights to keep your stack of mail in place because you’re not even thinking about a workout. (Whew. That’s exhausting!)

So how do you get back some control? First you need to realize that everything is connected. You actually feel stress in your body in several ways – lumpy throat, sore neck and shoulders, and speeding heart rate. Excessive stress pushes cortisol through your veins, which is connected to cravings for high fat or high sugar comfort foods as well as decreased muscle tissue and suppressed thyroid function. When you’re stressed out, exercise can help relax you by unleashing endorphins, which increase pleasure and have a calming effect on the body. But your brain tells you that you need to spend extra time working or cleaning the house so you ditch the idea of a workout in favor of other “more important” tasks that you actually can’t do efficiently because you need a break!

The good news is you can break this crazy cycle. But you have to stop. You have to “get lost” to get over your stress. No matter how time-crunched you feel, you have at least a minute or two. Rather than double-check your Blackberry or Tweet your 20, why don’t you just take in a big breath of air and let it all out. Close your eyes. Think of a place and time that brings you comfort and happiness. Remember your most relaxing day. Keep breathing deep and slow and let your mind wander. You will instantly start to feel a nurturing release. Your mind and body have a chance to realign. Maybe it will be enough to help you deal with the rest of the day. Try it. What have you got to lose – except your mind!

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Get Lost and Get over it: How to Manage Stress and Improve your Health

This guest blog comes from Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RD, ACSM HFS, a Washington, D.C. based dietitian and weight management expert. Together with Bernie Salazar, at-home winner of The Biggest Loser, she co-created “The Nurture Principles” – Five mantras to help people change their lives and find wellness within.

I have a new client – a very lovely 40-year-old female who regularly appears on national TV. She has so many great qualities she can’t see because right now she is overpowered by her excessive weight, food choices, and lack of exercise. She was convinced I was going to give her a gym workout to follow and she dreaded the thought. Imagine her surprise when I asked her to tell me exercises she thought would be fun. She responded with “I never thought about fun.” Right there is the reason she is not active. Why would you move your body if it is not fun? How likely will you be to repeat it if you don’t get the feel-good benefit? Not likely. Is physical activity you despise nurturing? No way.

Exercise works when you repeat it; when you look forward to it; when you embrace it. Exercise should make you feel good. It should be nurturing. Start with what sounds fun and just schedule a time to do it! My client chose water jogging. She planned to stay in the water for 30 minutes and ended up staying 45.  She had fun. She said she felt bouyant and stronger than expected. Most of all, she felt successful.

When you start with nurturing exercise, it becomes easier to nurture yourself in other ways, such as eating healthy and managing stress. Together these behaviors nurture your whole self, which allows you to nurture those around you – your family, friends, and co-workers.

If you aren’t exercising or feel unenthusiastic about what you’re doing, check in with yourself. What sounds fun? You have the potential to get way more out of exercise than sweat and calorie burn. You just have to approach it from the inside out and nurture yourself.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Nurturing Exercise: Hard Work Doesn’t Have to Hurt

This guest blog comes from Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RD, ACSM HFS, a Washington, D.C. based dietitian and weight management expert. Together with Bernie Salazar, at-home winner of The Biggest Loser, she co-created “The Nurture Principles” – Five mantras to help people change their lives and find wellness within.

What sounds better, restrictive dieting or nourishing yourself for lasting health? Think about it. There are so many diets out there based on restriction. People diet to get healthier. It’s no wonder “healthy” has a negative connotation. But dieting and health are not synonymous. Healthy eating is all about taste, pleasure, and satisfaction! If this approach is more your speed, learn how you can nurture yourself and manage your weight at the same time. 

First and foremost, you need to be ready for change. It’s important to understand that “nothing changes until you do.” If you want something different, you have to actually do something different. Write down some changes you think you need to make to eat healthier. Then think of one easy (and I mean easy) thing you can do about it.

Here’s an example. Many people order take out because it keeps them from having to cook and grocery shop, which saves them time. Suppose you order a pizza and usually eat 3-4 slices. Here are some simple changes that can make a huge difference:

• Start with a salad and light dressing and after you finish it put one to two slices of pizza on your plate – enjoy every bite!

• Order veggies on your pizza instead of high fat meats.

• Replace the mozzarella on half with feta cheese (if available).

• Make your meal last at least 30 minutes.

If you think you can achieve one or more of these changes, you’ll cut the calories and fat in half!  You’ll also meet your veggie quota for the day.

This is nurturing because you aren’t asking yourself to dramatically change everything at once. Notice, pizza is still on the menu and you’re still saving time. You’re also making a dramatic change with seemingly little effort. Your dinner still tastes good and satisfies you. You simply balanced it out with a salad, healthy substitutions, and portion control. There’s always time to tackle additional changes, which you’ll be more likely to do if you can succeed at easy ones first. Make your list. Choose a change. Do it. It’s that easy – and it’s nurturing!

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Nutrition that Nurtures: Healthy Eating from the Inside Out

If you’ve ever lost weight by cutting calories then you can understand the allure of restricting further to accelerate weight loss. But just because a little is good – more is not better. An eating plan that is too restrictive is a first-class ticket to sabotage. Find out if your current plan needs loosening up.

You cut out foods you love.

If your diet has you avoiding specific foods, especially ones you love, it is essentially setting you up for failure. There’s no reason that even the most “forbidden” food can’t be included in a healthy eating plan. You deserve to love the foods you eat. Include a small portion of something that satisfies – whether you crave sweet or salty foods.

Your calorie intake is below your resting metabolic rate.

Even when you are dieting, you need to eat enough to sustain your basic daily activities, like office work, exercise and eating (yes, you burn calories digesting food). Your body will make its own calories by digesting muscle tissue and fat for energy if needed. Not only does this put your metabolism in the toilet, but it leaves you prone to irritability, fatigue, and illness. A modest daily calorie deficit will help you maintain your muscle and burn fat for energy.

You drink caffeinated beverages for energy.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my coffee in the morning and I don’t blame you if you do too. But if you are dieting and seem to consistently go for a caffeine “pick me up” several times a day chances are you’re getting a fake “fix”. Calories provide energy – not caffeine. Restrict too much and your tiredness might be related to lack of fuel.

You think about food too much.

Sometimes, you can be so motivated to get results that you take every piece of diet advice you hear. Not only can it be time consuming, but it can push you to the point of frustration. Why waste time on what you can’t have when it feels so much better to embrace what you can? Take the struggle out dieting and bring balance back into your life.

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Feeling the Squeeze: 4 Signs Your Eating Plan is too Restrictive